Agricultural irrigation systems are used to apply water to agricultural crops. Different types of irrigation systems are presently used. One type of irrigation system is a flood irrigation system in which trenches formed in the water are moved to soil at an agricultural site using gravitational force. For example, water can be diverted from a river by a gated trench to an agricultural site at a lower elevation.
Another type of irrigation system is a center pivot irrigation system. This type of system moves water using an electric powered water pump. Different pressures may be used with this type of irrigation system. The water typically is pumped from a well, river or irrigation pond. Intermittently spaced towers carrying a supply pipe are driven by electric motors or water driven turbines.
Yet another type of irrigation system is a traveler system. A traveler system is a flexible hose coupled with a standpipe in a field supplied by a water pump.
Another more recent type of irrigation is drip irrigation. With this type of irrigation, water flows an under pressure through a water delivery mechanism such as drip tape. Drip tape allows water to flow out a tube under pressure. For example, drip tape may be a tube through which water flowing through the tube delivers water outside of the tube though openings in the tube. In another example, drip tape may be a tube through which water slowing through the tube delivers water outside of the tube through a porous material of the tube. The water is used to water plants that are near the tube. In some examples, drip tape has a substantially flat shape with the water exits in under pressure from the tube. A supply header receives water from a water pump and the drip tapes are coupled with the supply header. The configuration of the drip tapes may form a network having a shape that corresponds to the shape of the field.
A drip irrigation system as described above has the advantages of directly delivering water and nutrients to an area in close proximity to the plants which maximizes plant growth and production, while limiting problems associated with other types of irrigation systems, such as erosion, disease, weed growth, soil saturation, energy costs and water conservation.